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Behaviour Management
Just as with all students, those who have hearing impairment have the right to attend a safe school that promotes positive behaviour, ensures their safety and minimises all risks. Teachers should have the same behavioural expectations and consequences in place for deaf and hearing students. The responsibility of creating a safe school falls on all members of the school community: the teachers, school staff, students, parents and wider community. Students especially play an important role in creating and maintaining a safe and supportive school environment (Safe Schools Toolkit, 2014). Setting Expectations A common mistake made by educators of deaf students is to use their impairment as an excuse. It is the responsibility of the teacher to make sure all students understand the existing expectations. Teachers need to check for understanding. Simply asking "do you understand?" will not suffice. Asking the student to explain what it is they have to do or what they are expected to do is a way to ascertain understanding. It is also the responsibility of the teacher to be clear about their expectations. As has been discussed earlier, deaf students are usually very visually aware. Having your behavioural expectations displayed around the room could make understanding them an easier process for students. However, the wording of such posters and signs is important. They should focus on the positive behaviour that is desired instead of the negative behaviour that is discouraged. For example, stating "NO SHOUTING IN CLASS" brings the attention to the problem, which in this case is shouting. For some students, this may be a subconscious reminder about how great it is to shout. A better option would be to state, "We are a learning class - quiet voices help each other learn." In this case, the focus is on the desired behaviour - quiet voices. Promoting and Recognising Positive Behaviour For any behaviour management program to be successful clear procedures on indentifying and acknowledging positive behaviour in students need to be developed by the school and these procedures need to be carried through. Does your school teach values? How are these values represented to the students collectively and individually? What about social and emotional capabilities? Some deaf students may not be fully aware of social rules and communication skills used on an every day basis. This can impact their ability to behave appropriate. What is your school doing to facilitate these students? Perhaps these students need a direct program that teaches social skills and appropriate behaviour in social interactions. It is one thing for a school to teach values, and another thing altogether for said school to give their students opportunities to act on those values. Are students able to show leadership in clubs and activities? Are they able to organise and run events within the school and the wider community? Are they able to take part in service activities in their community? It is an unfortunate fact that deaf students are rarely given leadership roles in their classes and schools. What reward system does your school have in place to promote positive behaviour? Reward systems need to be fair for all involved. If one child in particular is receiving multiple awards when another is going without, perhaps the system needs to be reconsidered. Risk Prevention It is rare to find a classroom today without access to modern technology. Many schools employ iPad or laptop programs where students have regular or even one-to-one access with such technology. However, with these devices comes the possibility of risky situations. Stepping outside the classroom, for years playgrounds have brought the possibility for injuries as well as antisocial behaviour. Schools need to have firm policies regarding both scenarios to keep schools and classrooms a safe place. If technology is used in the classrooms, teachers need to be aware of what they are being used for round the clock. Most schools ban risky or inappropriate websites, however these bans are not 100% foolproof, and thus there is no excuse for teachers not to supervise their use. Playground duty needs to be taken very seriously. Teachers have a duty of care to be vigilant in supervising children. Teachers can be held liable if something goes wrong and they were not where they were supposed to be. Additionally, if there is a known high-risk area, staff should take extra precautions in monitoring those places. Procedures need to be put in place when recording negative behaviour. The playground itself should model the students' interests. If the children find the space boring and dull, they will be less likely to treat it with respect or treat themselves and others with respect around it. It is important to note some children may not enjoy vigorous activity during breaks. These children must be accommodated and space provided for them to spend their time in other ways.